First report: Sausalito police seize 167 pounds of marijuana in bust

Investigators seized nearly 168 pounds of marijuana valued at $419,000 from a storage container in Sausalito, police said Wednesday.

The suspect, 54-year-old Nicholas Pappas, was apparently living inside the container at Marinship Self Storage at 2346 Marinship Way, said Sausalito Lt. Kurtis Skoog. Pappas was booked into Marin County Jail on suspicion of various drug violations and released on bail pending further review.

The investigation began after police received an anonymous tip that Pappas was storing marijuana at the site. When police went to the storage facility, they found about 40 pounds of marijuana inside, plus about 120 more pounds behind a false wall, Skoog said.

Police also found suspected drug paraphernalia, 3.7 grams of suspected cocaine and 15 grams of concentrated cannabis. The storage container had an electrical supply, a bed and cable television.

Pappas told police that he grew the marijuana in Mendocino County and then transported it to his Sausalito storage container.

Mike Johnson, manager of the storage facility, described Pappas as a contractor for a local business, but said he resides in Mendocino County is only in Sausalito occasionally.

"I didn't know that he lived in the unit," Johnson said. "Nobody is supposed to be living in the units."

He said tenants have exclusive access to the units, and that management does not enter the lockers unless the tenants fail to pay their bills.

Pappas, who was arrested Dec. 29, could not be reached for comment. Skoog said police did not announce the arrest at the time because the investigation was continuing.

Police referred the case the district attorney's office on Monday. It remained under review Wednesday.